5 – Devi and Her Creation

Who is Devi?

Devi is everything in creation, everywhere, and in everyone. An individual cannot perceive her. She is only known to Ishwara. The one whom she reveal herself becomes from Jiva to Ishwara. However, Devi’s presence is perceived by three gunas. The gunas are the quality of Devi, her three aspect through which she reveals herself all the time to all who wants to feel her presence. Her three gunas are  Sattva (knowledge/wisdom), Rajas(Activity), and       Tamas (Inert-ia). She is also known as Maya. In normal parlance, people translate this word as illusion. However, nothing could be further from truth. Maya does not mean illusion. Maya means one who manifests something that is not eternal in form, hence not real in form. Whatever is manifested is real but does not have an eternal form, hence she is known as Maya. 

Her Creation and how she created ?:

Everything is her creation alone. Scriptures tell there are 29 factors of evolution and their material cause is Maya, Devi . The 29 factors are:

1. Akaasha Tattva 
2. Vaayu Tattva
3. Agni Tattva
4. Jala Tattva
5. Prithvi Tattva

When we are talking about tattva, we are not talking about the gross elements that we see from our eyes. These tattvas again can never be perceived by any of the sense organs as the sense organ themselves have come out of them. However, their quality can be perceived. What it means that the quality present tells us the presence of tattva.

Let’s take akasha tattva, this is the first tattva that has come out of Devi.It is the subtlest tattva. the meaning of subtle is how pervasive something is. Since Akaasha tattva pervades everything in creation, it is subtlest. the quality of akasha tattva is sound, the presence of this tattva is perceived by this tattva eternal and primal sound, this is known as Aumkaar, and is hence considered the first representation of Ishwara or Devi. All the other sounds also resides in this tattva alone.

The next is Vaayu tattva that has come out of akasha tattva, the quality of which is sound and touch and is less subtle or pervasive than akasha tattva. Then, Agni tattva came out of Vaayu tattva and the quality of Agni tattva is sound, touch, color, and form. After that, Jala tattva which is born out of Agni tattva, has a quality of sound, touch, color,form, and taste. the last is prithhvi tattva(that has come out of jala tattva) has a quality of  sound, touch, colour, form, and smell. 

6. Power of hearing : This has come out of the sattvic aspect of akasha tattva.

7. Power of touch : This has come out of the sattvic aspect of Vaayu tattva. 

8. Power of sight : This has come out of the sattvic aspect of Agni tattva. 

9. Power of taste : This has come out of the sattvic aspect of Jala tattva. 

10. Power of smell : This has come out of the sattvic aspect of pritthvi tattva. 

That is why they  are known as instruments of knowledge as they are born of sattvic aspect. So, their function is gain wisdom or knowledge of the quality of their respective tattvas. 

11. Power of Speech : This has come out of rajasic aspect of akasha tattva. 

12. Power of grasping: This has come out of rajasic aspect of Vaayu tattva. 

13: Power of movement: This has come out of rajasic aspect of Agni  tattva. 

14: Power of copulation: This has come out of rajasic aspect of jala tattva. 

15: Power of excretion : This has come out of rajasic aspect of pritthvi tattva. 

That is why they  are known as instruments of action as they are born of rajasic aspect. So, their function is act to satisfy the quality of their respective tattvas. 

16. Manas/ Mind – The stream of thought flow that is indecisive in nature. 

17. Buddha/ Intellect – The bundle of thoughts that are firm or decisive in nature

18. Chitta/Memory – This is the part of inner instrument whose function is recollection.

19. Ahankara/ Ego – This is a root thought born out of ignorance that causes us to think – “I am separate than whole”.

These four are together known as inner instrument or antahakarana are born out of total sattvic aspect of five great Tattvas. this is the reason mind can hear, touch, see, taste, and excrete/reject. 

20. Prana 

21. Apana

22. Vyana

23. Udana

24. Samana 

The five vital pranas are born out of the total rajasic aspect of five great Tattvas. this is the reason they are of nature of activity.

25. Gross Space

26. Gross Air

27. Gross Fire 

28. Gross Water

29. Gross Earth

These five gross elements are what we see as perceive. Our body and as well the entire body of nature is a part of these five gross elements . This is born out of the tamasic aspect of five great elements. They are inert and need an inner instrument to reveal themselves as well as the world. When the rest of 24 elements separate from last 4 elements, we call it death. 

Why I wrote this post ?

My salutations to the Devi who is present everywhere and can be perceived by her gunas alone. Even if I take infinite births and learn about her, I will never be able to know you Maa completely unless you reveal yourself to me, even if I take infinite births and write about you what little I understood by your grace, I will never be able to write that Maa unless you allow me to.

O’ Maa! Today your thoughts are not letting me sleep and I am seeing you alone everywhere in everything. The only motive to write this is to remind myself that you alone resides everywhere in this creation. This is an attempt to hear you maa, to touch you, to taste your bliss, to speak to you, to move towards you, to merge in you alone.

This is just an offering at the lotus feet of my master, who is one with Devi. All the mistakes are mine and if some good come out of it, It’s your grace and glory alone.

Let’s all sing the glory of Divine Goddess and see her alone in this entire creation🌼🙏🌼🙏🌼🙏🌼